The present invention relates to a rail drilling machine for drilling, in the web of a rail, coupling holes for coupling the rail with a crosstie.
Conventionally, for example, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2004-322238 discloses a rail drilling machine. This rail drilling machine includes a rail holding mechanism that holds the web of a rail from both sides. The rail drilling machine drills coupling holes in the web of a rail while the rail holding mechanism straddles the head of the rail from above to hold the web.
When drilling coupling holes in a rail using the rail drilling machine of the above publication, the rail holding mechanism straddles the head of the rail from above and is arranged on either side of the rail. Thus, the coupling holes cannot be drilled in the rail while the rail remains laid to allow vehicles to pass.